Spidey Reprints return to the NY Post!
by The Perfessor
That’s right folks, the NY Post has resumed issuing the Spider-Man reprints that it has been carrying since August of last year. The current issue (that was released this Sunday) is Vol. #19 (which reprints the first half of Amazing Spider-Man #9, staring Electro). Each issue is 16 pages in length and reprints half an issue of the original run of The Amazing Spider-Man. (The first reprint from The Post reprinted Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Spider-Man). Actually, it isn’t just The Post that is carrying the reprints, other newspapers around the country are carrying them as well.
The reprints were suspended over the holiday weekends (Christmas and New Year’s were both Sundays, plus Sunday January 7th was also Spidey-less, for some reason as well.)
As always, reading the comic was refreshing, entertaining, and brought me right back to my youth. Oh yeah, I’ve been collecting a second set of the reprint comics and at Christmas, I gave the first 18 issues to my 12-year-old nephew Tony-o, who also reads comics and I’ve been doing everything I can to encourage him to continue. Well, I hope that Tony-o is enjoying these comics as much as am I, because these comics are truly great.
If anyone out there is reading this post and wants to introduce their kids (nephews, nieces, grandkids, whomever) to comics, and wants to be assured that the comics are going to be a) enjoyable, and b) “wholesome” then I would suggest to them to pick up the following Marvel titles:
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane: This book is told from MJ’s point of view, and really doesn’t so much follow the established Marvel Cannon of Spidey, but is more of an off-shoot of the two Mary Jane prose novels (here and here) that Marvel issued a few years back. Think Betty and Veronica with superheroes, and you’ll get an idea of what this series is all about. Writer Sean McKeever does a most excellent job in capturing teen girl angst in a superhero world.
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man (also available in Avengers and Fantastic Four): Here again with the Marvel Adventures titles is a re-interpretation of classic Marvel re-told in an up-beat, modernized way All fun, all-in-one issue stories, where there is no need to worry about continuity or what has gone on before (or even after) these three series are modern-day classic stuff.
In all three series, whatever you generally remember from Silver Age Marvel is essentially true, only the stories place the characters squarely in the modern era (cell phones, computers, etc.) only these items don’t so much detract from the story or enjoyment of the books, but add to their accessibility. The FF features its team’s usual line-up but as far as the Avengers title goes, the writers freely pull from virtually all variations of the group, assembling a team that never really served together (including Captain America, Spidey, Wolverine, Hulk, and Iron Man. Then, thrown in for good measure are the X-Man Storm (who was never really an avenger) and Giant Girl (who is actually a Young Avenger).). Still, the stories work, and are quite fun.
I have to say that I’m really happy that Marvel is remembering (finally) that if they don’t do something to engage younger kids in comics, that eventually the only ones in this field will be adults, and there will be no one to carry on this great tradition.
Hopefully some new (younger) readers will discover Marvel and then go not only back and collect the older stuff (either in its original formats, or in the reprint graphic albums), as well as move forward, collecting the newer stuff.
As fans and parents, we can only hope.
January 15th, 2007 at 9:49 am
As a long time comic book fan, and a teacher, I'm really glad to see Marvel is doing this. I'm also a former co-owner of a comic book store.
The way I see it, there are two things that are keeping kids away from comic books:
1. Availability... I first got into comic books around the age of 11. I lived on a farm and used to be able to buy all my comic books at the local Circle K. In the low-income community where I work, there is not a single outlet for comic books. Nor is there a single bookstore where a child might purchase a Marvel or DC trade paperback. If the publishers want to put their comic books into the hands of kids, they need to get them back on the local newstands.
2. Content... The very first comic book I ever bought was a Captain America, which I think cost 30 or 35 cents. That was in the latter half of the 70s. At one point I had a several thousand book collection of comic books from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. My collection included just about everything from Amazing Spider Man to X-Men. Even wierd offbeat titles such as Mobius the Living Vampire and Ghost Rider were appropriate for 12 year olds. A lot has changed on that front. A couple years ago I picked up a cpy of the old Avengers, and (I'm trying to remember this as exactly as I can) the Wasp was in bed by herself in the throws of sexual passion. It's revealed that she's not really alone. Yellow Jacket has shruk himself down and inserted himself completely to stimulate her. This is just once instance.
Price is also an issue.
As a child I grew up slightly on the poor side of the economic spectrum. But there was always a way for me to earn a dollar which would buy me two comic book and a candy bar. But at $3 a piece, comic books have priced themselves out of the reach of many of the kids I teach.
Although I specifically teach 6th grade science, I have used my classroom to promote interest in comic books over the years. I have purchased hundreds dollars worth of graphic novels which I keep in a "library" in the back of the room and allow students to check them out.
But even finding graphic novels appropriate for kids can be a tad challenging. Although we are a growing community, we are hardly metropolitan, and selections are limited.
Two years ago my wife and I took a vacation in San Francisco. Our hotel was only a few blocks from a mamoth Borders. I took along $200 just to spend on Marvel and DC graphic novels for my class library. When I got there all the graphic novels were sealed in plastic, and the manager wouldn't allow me to open them to see if they were appropriate for 11, 12, and 13 year-olds.
I guess the point of all this prattle is to say: If comic book publishers want to reach new young readers, they need to have books that are appropriate for them, without being obviously kiddie stories, and the books need to be where kids can buy them.
January 16th, 2007 at 6:04 am
TKL, I’m with you on all of this, I started reading comics back in the early ’60s and they were very accessible then. I’m one of the folks who believe that while the comicbook specialty shop may have saved the industry for a time, it was — all things considered — simply the beginning of the death-knell for comics, as it segmented us, and segregated us from the “regular†public. It is here that we lost the casual reader.
However, there are things to build up your library that won't cost you an arm and a leg. You might try writing to the major publishers (Marvel, DC , Archie, Image, Dark Horse, and explain that you are a teacher who is using comics in your classroom, and ask them if they would be willing to donate some comics to your library that would be appropriate for your students. They might ignore you, but they just might send you some stuff.
Plus if there is a comic shop near you, it might be possible that you might convince the owner to unload some old, (slightly damaged and/or worthless) comics that are age-appropriate (approach him at the end of the year, or during tax season, and convince him that he could use it as a write off). Then there is always Free Comic Book Day (May 7th this year) where many publishers produce special comics for “free†distribution to comic shops around the country (again, there is a nominal fee for these comics, but you might be able to score some at your local shop (or snag the leftovers, if any, after the event). Also, you might just be able to contact the various publishers directly to see if you can acquire some of these comics for your kids (again, be aware that not all are age-appropriate).
I wish you luck, and really wish I had had a teacher like you when I was in school.
The Perfessor